The Wayro route from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán is 125 miles (201 km), about 2 h 36 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 125 mi (201 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-130 → MEX-132 → MEX-132D → MEX-142 → EM 12 → Viaducto → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-132D, MEX-95D, MEX-115D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
What the drive from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán is like
MEX-132 (41 mi) and MEX-95D (32 mi) carry about 58% of the 125 miles. MEX-132D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-142 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Morelos. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 2–6 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 6–47 | 41 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-132D | 47–52 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 52–53 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-142 | 53–57 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 12 | 58–66 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 66–70 | 4 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 70–76 | 6 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 76–83 | 7 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 83–86 | 3 | Mexico City |
| MEX-95D | 86–118 | 32 | Mexico City, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 118–119 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 119–123 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 123–125 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 29 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 67 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Mexico City → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tulancingo and Tepoztlán
- Nature and outdoors: Parque de la Bombilla (mile 80)
- Museums and history: Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba (mile 38), Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco (mile 70), Centro Cultural Border (mile 76), Frida Kahlo Museum (mile 80), Cuicuilco (mile 85), National Biodiversity Pavilion (mile 85)
Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba
The Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba is a museum in the town of Otumba de Gómez Farías devoted, as its name says, to the railroad.
Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco
Established by Franciscans in Tlatelolco on January 6, 1536, the Colegio de Santa Cruz was an early school of higher learning that trained Indigenous students and interpreters.
Teatro de la Ciudad
Built in 1918 as the Teatro Esperanza Iris, the Teatro de la Ciudad on Donceles Street is one of the public stages of Mexico City's historic center.
Centro Cultural Border
Centro Cultural Border is an independent space in Colonia Roma for emerging contemporary art, multimedia and graffiti, with a café, library, bookstore and urban art workshops.
Frida Kahlo Museum
Known as the Blue House for its cobalt-blue walls, the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán is a historic house and art museum devoted to the life and work of the painter.
Parque de la Bombilla
In San Ángel, Parque de la Bombilla holds the monument to Álvaro Obregón, built where the president-elect was assassinated in 1928 while dining at the La Bombilla restaurant.
Cuicuilco
In Mexico City's Tlalpan borough, Cuicuilco preserves a pyramid whose construction began a few centuries BCE, during the Late Preclassic period, near the old southern shore of Lake Texcoco.
National Biodiversity Pavilion
Opened in 2021 at Ciudad Universitaria in Mexico City, the National Biodiversity Pavilion is a museum about the variety of life found across Mexico.
When you get to Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
More drives to Tepoztlán
- Mexico City to Tepoztlán
- Metepec to Tepoztlán
- Toluca to Tepoztlán
- Atlixco to Tepoztlán
- Taxco to Tepoztlán
- Tepotzotlán to Tepoztlán
From Tulancingo to other places in Mexico
- Tulancingo to Tepotzotlán
- Tulancingo to Zimapán
- Tulancingo to Metepec
- Tulancingo to Atlatlahucan
- Tulancingo to Malinalco
- Tulancingo to Tonatico
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán?
About 2 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 125 miles.
How far is Tepoztlán from Tulancingo by car?
About 125 miles (201 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tulancingo to Tepoztlán use?
In order: MEX-130, MEX-132, MEX-132D, MEX-142, EM 12, Viaducto, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tulancingo and Tepoztlán?
Closest to the road: Centro Cultural Border (museum, mile 76, 2 mi from the route); Frida Kahlo Museum (art museum, mile 80, 1 mi from the route); Cuicuilco (archaeological site, mile 85, 2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.